What you're hearing is a video taken at a cultural center in Idisababa, Ethiopia's capital

city.

There's about two dozen people in a pretty small room, with all their eyes locked on

about five dancers.

The women dancing are in long dresses, and the men are in striped polo shirts.

The dancers are all swinging their arms and bobbing their heads.

There's a band laying down a beat at the back of the room while the dancers are up front

doing their thing.

It doesn't look overly choreographed, it's really a lot of folks just jamming and having fun.

At one point, a man in a gray blazer in jeans joins up front in the center.

This is Melacobale, and dancing is very, very important now.

But not just to him personally, he says it's core to his community, too.

You know, in Ethiopia, music and dance is a wealth of life.

I'm Baudelaire, and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world's strange, incredible

and wondrous places.

Today, we're going to the Fendika Cultural Center in Idisababa, Ethiopia, to hear the

story of Melacobale and his journey from homelessness to being a community leader with international

acclaim.

More.

After this.

My name is Melacobale, I'm a founder of the Fendika Cultural Center.

When I spoke with Melacobale, he was at Fendika in his office, and Melacobale has a pretty

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